Statistics in the News: STAT 0826: Getting Started

Welcome!

Welcome to the library guide for Statistics 0826: Statistics
and the News. Use the tabs above to link to different statistical sources
available through Paley Library. Feel free to contact me using the chat widget
at right if you have any questions.

Why Stats?

Question: What value lies in statistics? Why would a researcher use statistical or polling information?

Answer: Statistics can be very persuasive. They can help clarify and put an argument into perspective. Keep in mind, though: statistical data is only as good as the people who create it, the quality of their work, and how well they relay their personal or organizational bias.

Official statistical information available to the public from the Federal Government. Track economic and population trends, education, health care costs, aviation safety, foreign trade, energy use, farm production, and more. Access official statistics collected and published by more than 100 Federal agencies. (Updated daily)

Contains statistical data on every quantifiable dimension of American history, including population, work and welfare, economic structure and performance, governance, and international times from colonial times to the present.

Proquest Statistical puts millions of facts and figures at your fingertips. Well over 400,000 indexed tables of data from international, federal, state and private sources are available for search and retrieval, with tens of thousands more added yearly. In addition, LexisNexis Statistical provides online access to the following highly respected finding aids for statistical data: International Sources: Index to International Statistics (IIS) 1983- IIS abstracts and indexes key statistical titles from international intergovernmental organizations like the UN, EU, OECD, IMF, and World Bank. Federal Sources: American Statistics Index (ASI) 1973- The U.S. Government is the world's most important and prolific publisher of statistics. ASI indexes and abstracts statistical data published by all branches and agencies of the Federal Government, including both depository and non-depository publications. ASI includes federal agency publications that contain social, economic, demographic, or natural resources data, and a selection of publications with scientific and technical data. State and Private Sector Sources: Statistical Reference Index (SRI) 1980- SRI identifies statistical data published by consumer and trade magazines, private organizations, state government agencies, business organizations, independent research organizations, and universities and affiliated research centers. Publications covered by SRI contain important statistics on business, industry and finance, general economic conditions, government programs and politics, and social trends. SRI offers access to national data, such as production, costs, and earnings in major industries; statewide data, such as statistics on crime, health, or employment; data on foreign countries, such as world economic and demographic trends; and local or narrowly focused data, such as detail by county and municipality.

Public Opinion Polling Databases

Need to find public opinion polls? Use the following databases to find polling data on a variety of topics across time.

Contains thousands of national and international surveys conducted since 1986. Over 1,000 polling organizations are represented, including Harris International, The Pew Center, newspapers, television news organizations, and special interest groups.